Mahlon gregg



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

e MAHLON GREGG, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

EEICK-EIACHINE.`

i Specification of .Let-.ters Patent 8,158, dated June 17, `1851.

l To all whom t may concern:

Be it known thatI, MAHLON GREGG, of thecity and county of Philadelphiaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Brick-` Making Machinesgand I` do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full and clear descrip tion of the construction andoperation thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makingpart of this specification.`

i Figure 1 is a top View ofthe machine. Fig... 2 is ajlongitudinalvertical section,- the presser having been advanced and abrick molded, and simultaneously therewith a brick discharged from the-mold diametrically opposite. l Fig. 3 is aihorizontal sectionofthe moldwheel. Fig. tis a side view ofditto. l [1..

Where the same letters of referenceoccur on the above figures theyindicate the` same parts. i

.iDescrz'ypz'om-AIhorizont-al wheel A, sixt formed spaces whichconstitute the molds I,

in which the bricks are formed. The surfaces of these molds are madesmooth, and each mold is furnished with a piston J, which is accuratelyfitted thereto,and to the shank of which is attached a small verticalplate which eXtends downward (through an aperture t made for thepurpose) an inch or `more below the bottom of the wheel. Upon the plateH, is adjusted a circular ratchet plate K, two feet in `diameter, in theupper surface and near the periphery of which is a circular, groove thebottom of which consists of a series of inclined planes (s s) whichconstitute theteeth of a circular ratchet ;-the number of teeth Acorresponding with the number of molds in the wheel. Over the projectingdisk or plane A of the wheel on the left of the moldcircle, is adjusteda hopper L, supported by two posts (c c) and by a cross-bar (9).- Thishopper is so adjusted as to be nearly ,in

Vthe mold wheel` at the` same time.

contact with `the `planeofu the wheel, and

with the periphery of the j circular' plates and `blocks3+and throughthe left side of the hopper andat the bottom thereof, is anaperturethroughwhichworks a horizontal presserulf; the left end of which`(being round.) is made to slide through' an aperture` `ina transversebar `(u2) of `an" adjust-able frame T, whichis connectedto the platformD. A horizontal transverselever Y, is connect-ed by a fulcrum `pivottothe `side of the `adjustable frame, and connectedalso tothe presser at(r) andfextending to the front of lthe machine is connect-ed to` thecrank of a steam engine or other machinery whereby a horizontaloscillatory motion is produced.

`To theunderside of the presser is attached a horizontal bar; to the topof .which is attachedia block (o) and to its right end `is attachedaplate (u) which is bent upward. The object of the block (o)l and bent@plate (u) is tolmovethe vertical plates (n) `of the `pistons J,simultaneously on the advanceof the presser Pi-the piston in the ,hopperbeing moved centerward the wheell and the piston diametrically oppositebef ing moved from the center` of the wheeland thus mold and dischargea. brick from On one side of the presser, a hook-rod (w) is connected tothe lever Y and extends r-ightward terminating in a. hoo-k which enters`the ratchet groove (s s) `and occasionally takes to the teeth thereof. YVithin the hopper `and on the front side of the horizontal presser, is avertical,r presser V, the top of which is connected to an inclined lever(fr) the rightendof which is ".bonnected by a hinge joint to the sideofthe hopper, and the left end is connectedto the right end of aninclined connect-ingbar (2), the left and lower end of which isconnected with the lever Y; so that when the horizontal presser is movedto the fleft, the vertical presser V is depressed, which has the effec-tof filling the space vacated by the receding movement of the horizontalpresser; and when the presser Pis made to advance the .vertical presserV is elevated and so on in and by the same movement, the block (o) andplate (u) Fig. 2 of the horizontal bar (m) each impinges upon one of thevertical plates (n) and the two pistons J, J, to which they areattached, are thereby moved to the right, whereby the mold on' the leftis opened to receive the clay inthe form of a. new brick, and the formedbrick in the mold on the right is discharged therefrom. At the same timethe hook (w) is 'moved to the right far enough to take to another toothof the ratchet; and by a reverse movement of the hook rod the posit-ionof the wheel is thereby changed, and another mold is brought to thehopper-the horizontal presser P is withdrawn, and they vertical presserV is depressed by its connect-ion with the horizont-al presser P,thereby depressing` the clay and lling the space vacated by the recedingmovement of the horizontal presser.

When the pistons recede centerward the wheel, they come in contact withthe back of the molds J, whereby they are prevented from receding toofar; whilst their outward movement is governed by the plates (n)striking against the shoulders of the apertures (t) in which they move.Each movement of the mold wheel is limited by means of pins (i) whichproject from the bottom of the wheel, and are so arranged that when thewheel arrives at its proper position, one of the pine will strike theblock (o), .which is made to move rightward on the advance of thepresser P, and allow the wheel to turn when the brick shall have beenmolded. Such port-ions of the edges of the circular plates G and H, asconstitute the edges of the molds above and below, are made sharp andstraight that the bricks may be molded smoothly and of proper form. Itshould have been stated that the shanks of the pistons J, are supportedby means of pins projecting from t-he wheel, over which they slide.

As a variation in the construction of this machine, a mold may be formedin the end of the horizontal presser and the same may be furnished witha. piston to discharge the molded bricks therefrom leaving the bricksupon the annular plane of the wheel.

Having described my improvements in the machine for making bricks, whatI claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The rotating mold wheel A, Gr, I-I, I, C, constructed as hereindescribed, with a series of molds Yin its periphery and an annular planeA, outside of the molds, and furnished with pistons J, arranged asherein described, for the purpose of discharging the bricks from themolds as set fort-h.

2. I also claim the mode herein described,

of changing the positions of the pistons J by means of the bar (m)(attached to the horizontal presser) with its block (o) and plat-e (u)which are made to impinge upon the vertical plates (n) .which areattached to the pistons for that purpose.

3. I also claim the combination of the hopper L, horizontal presser P,vertical nesses.

MAHLON GREGG. Witnesses:

C. BRAZER, WILLIAM GREGG.

